#poldark book 2: demelza

[love-little-lotte]

A Look Into My New Guilty Pleasure: Poldark (2015 Series)

My biggest weakness is period dramas — especially period dramas with a talented cast, sweeping romance, terrific scenes (preferably set in some kind of country/provincial side), and lots and lots and lots of just sitting around and talking.

That's probably why Poldark has captured my heart. As a big fan of Outlander, it's no surprise that I fell in love with this show. Outlander and Poldark have so many similarities that I may make a lengthy post about it, but for today, let me just rant about my new guilty pleasure. I'm so obsessed with this show that I actually finished watching the entire five seasons in one week!

Poldark is based on Winston Graham's novels and adapted by Debbie Horsfield. I was so excited to start this show, with a male protagonist originally written by a man, created and written for a series by a woman. I haven't read Graham's novels (I'm going to one of these days, I swear!), so I'm not sure how well Debbie's adaption worked. I've read many Reddit threads, though, and some fans of the novel are not that impressed with how she omitted and added details to the show (will get back to this once I've read the books or at least the seven ones that were used in the show). The show has also been adapted in the 70s, so this was not the first time Graham's novels were seen onscreen!

Despite not having read the books, I fell in love with the story, the characters, and the cast! The show follows Ross Poldark returning to Cornwall after fighting in the American War in the 1780s. He looks forward to marrying his childhood sweetheart Elizabeth but, believing him to be dead, is now engaged to his cousin Francis. He then tries to resurrect his family's mining business and hires a young girl Demelza to be his kitchen maid (whom he eventually marries) while also crossing paths with the villain George Warleggan, a corrupted banker who stops at nothing to ruin Ross's prospects and personal life. As the show progresses, we also meet other characters, including Prudie and Jud, Ross's servants, Verity, Ross's cousin and Francis's sister; Ross's friend Dr. Dwight Enys and his love interest Caroline Penvenen; Sam and Drake Carne, Demelza's brothers, and Morwenna Chynoweth, Drake's love interest.

Yes, this show has a large ensemble cast, and trust me, there always comes a point when you hate or love them. Especially our protagonist Ross Poldark. Ross... is an interesting character. He's terribly, terribly flawed and many times times, I'm so infuriated with him to the point that I want him to suffer. I swear, you cannot go through this series without screaming at Ross. (When that moment came up in Season 2, I swear I had my middle finger ready every time Ross showed up on my screen from then on.)

But my favorite character in the show is Demelza, Ross's wife who started as his kitchen maid. She's the heart of the show, the voice of reason, and even though she makes questionable decisions along the way, you can't help but get on her side no matter what. She's the perfect fiery yet gentle match to Ross's stubbornness. He treats her like shit many times in this show, which makes me angry to no end, but they eventually grow to be understanding, loving partners.

And it also helps that Aidan Turner and Eleanor Tomlinson have one of the best romantic chemistries I've ever seen. They're terrific actors as well and they bring the characters to life so effortlessly. They just seem like they have the best time shooting this show. I kind of want to rewatch Loving Vincent now just because they're in that movie, even just in supporting roles.

Poldark is a roller coaster, with so many ups and downs (mostly downs, to be honest, please give Demelza a break!) My favorite season has got to be Season 1. Season 1 had the best Ross and I loved the early stages of his relationship with Demelza. It also has my favorite episode: Season 1, Episode 8. That episode broke me so much, thanks to Aidan and Eleanor's perfect performances. It's the only time I ever cried watching this show. I usually cry in period dramas (I've cried countless times in Outlander and Downton Abbey), but for some reason, I only cried once in Poldark. Most of the time, I'm annoyed and infuriated (hahaha but I still love it!)

The romance in Poldark is also quite unique, something I haven't seen before. Ross and Demelza emotionally hurt each other many times in this show, and they don't have the best communication. It's not an ideal marriage, but that's what makes it so raw and real. It hurts when Ross sleeps with his first love Elizabeth or when Demelza falls for the much-sensitive Hugh Armitage, but these are challenges people face all the time, and it's interesting to view it in characters and circumstances through 18th-century lenses. Plus, it can be very tiring to see perfect couples onscreen all the time. So watching Ross and Demelza's relationship thrive, suffer, and reconcile is very refreshing to me.

Nevertheless, Ross and Demelza are still able to work together. Seasons 2 and 3 showcase the worst moments of their marriage, from infidelities to insecurity, but the love between them still perseveres and they learn to forgive. In the end, they realize that they belong together.

And despite the unconventional marriage, Poldark is not a stranger to grand romantic gestures. Two of my favorite Ross and Demelza moments occur in Season 2:

A real funny, old-married-couple type of bicker in The Beach Scene:

And of course, showing all intimacy in The Stocking Scene:

(Let's just not talk about what happened 2 episodes after this!)

The romance in Poldark not only ends with Ross and Demelza. We also got two really good couples in the series: Dwight and Caroline and Drake and Morwenna.

And these love stories don't just happen! They're fleshed-out characters with proper backgrounds and their own problems, especially Drake and Morwenna's relationship. Morwenna is one of my favorite characters, and she doesn't deserve all the shit thrown at her. The last season of Poldark is not the best (bordering on bad, actually, especially the last two episodes), but watching Drake and Morwenna get their happy ending is worth it.

Finishing all five seasons is bittersweet. I enjoyed most of the story and fell in love with different characters. I kind of regret watching everything in one week haha. But what can I say? As soon as I finish each episode, I'm so tempted to start another episode. I think the last time I stayed up until 5 AM the next morning to watch TV shows was Yellowjackets. Poldark's just too good to binge! It's one of my favorite TV shows now. Maybe I'll watch Sanditon next...

I want to write more about Poldark soon, maybe a comparison with Outlander or maybe just a post about each character. I realized I hadn't talked much about Elizabeth, Francis, and George in this post; I was too preoccupied with the love story aspects and Ross and Demelza. We'll see!

[nervousladytraveler]

On Poldark tv show, why do you think Ross was so fixated with Eliz? Yes, her beauty was real, but he idealized, misjudged and fabricated who she really was. In the books, she is a pretty shallow vacuous character which the tv writer completely recreated. Yet on the show, he could never let her go, why? Next to Demelza's courage, strength, integrity, she pales in comparison.

Thanks @anonymous for the question! I think Debbie Horsfield et al felt that the love triangle made for good tv and didn't want to let that formula go, even when we viewers were getting a little tired of it. At a certain point in the novels, Winston Graham was also done with it and set aside for other plotlines. So it needed new fuel if it was going to continue past series 2, and DH provided this with loads of chance meetings and glances of Valentine, etc. The “does he or doesn’t he” dramatic tension around series Ross, wouldn't be believable or sellable if Elizabeth wasn’t at least a bit likable, thus her recreation as you called it. Perhaps also, the writing was also meant to update Elizabeth’s character, giving her more dimensions than book Elizabeth. But I think in doing this, DH lost sight of WG’s Demelza, who she also tried to update. Yes, her courage and strength is still there (and we are shown this time and again, speaking of formulas) but despite those admirable values, the scripts chip away at Demelza’s likeability. She harps and snips (and wears that horrible hat in S3…talk about character inconsistencies) and her Hugh storyline is about revenge and not the subtle and complicated web of human emotions and frailty that WG wrote about. 

I wonder if, in the end, DH’s changes to these essential characters in order to force the love triangle, resulted in us viewers liking them all--Ross, Elizabeth, Demelza--a little less? 

[thoughtsonpoldark]

Moving on From Elizabeth is another great essay! I look forward to your insights. I would love to know your view on the meeting between Ross and Elizabeth at Sawle Churchyard. She hated Ross, hadn’t talk for years and tells him about George’s suspicions. That is a loaded scene. Then Ross’s internal thoughts after, why he didn’t tell Demelza of the meeting, “So all must be kept secret. And all must be left unsaid.” - that whole section. Then the question of who was Valentines father.

Hi there. You are right that the Churchyard meeting is very loaded. That’s since they did not see each other for so long and there were so many issues to address. What happened that May night, who was to blame, how they feel about each other and the issue of Valentine's paternity etc.

Elizabeth’s Hatred

I think Elizabeth’s hatred of Ross was understandable on three levels. Firstly my position is that she was the victim of Acquaintance rape which can have a different reaction from the typical victim response to a stranger rape. Secondly as Ross said he did an offence against Elizabeth that night that was 'indefensible' but his failure to come back to see Elizabeth either to explain and/or apologise was an additional and ‘crowning’ insult. Thirdly by the time of this meeting she had faced turmoil over the paternity of Valentine, the deception she was having to keep up against her husband and the damage his suspicion was causing to their marriage. So the consequence of Ross’s assault add additional layers to her anger and hate.

Answers on consent or not for 9th May

It is natural that readers would play close attention to the dialogue in this scene to try and decipher if that May night was consensual. I think Winston Graham does a good Job at still not making their dialogue so blatantly conclusive. However if you have seen my post on a Judgment Of Rape (A Case of Rape or Not For Ross Poldark) I think this is largely because like Morwenna with Reverend Osborne, Elizabeth’s fight or flight response was to flop and not to resist after the first shock. That means that while Ross is able to taunt Elizabeth that she did not treat him like the devil, he was unable to suggest that she clearly participated willingly as a joint venture. Overall, aside from that Ross repeatedly made comments where he seemed to accept the blame and which she agreed with but as if to find some way to pull her in to holding some blame too, he engages in victim blaming that it was her behaviour towards him over the years before that played a part in why he acted the way he did.

Ross’s diplomacy for peace

Aside from the above it is clear that Ross wanted to foster peace with Elizabeth at this meeting as Graham wrote that ‘As he grew older his own tendencies were to try to repair the breaches that past enmities had made.’ This is consistent with him later thinking that he tried to make Elizabeth think he loved her. We know that in a way he still does but not in the way she would want him to still love her or that competes with his love for Demelza. Yet he made sure to speak with blurred lines and to say that he had done what he did that May night because he loved her and that she had been the love of his life. Ross had a good tactic there because after all her catty, angry sarcastic replies to him Graham wrote ‘She was silent. Then in a voice somewhat changed, as if his words had at last made a difference....’  It is clear that he had appealed to her vanity and her need for admiration. However this is against a backstory of Ross from at least the second book starting to question if he really did love her. (‘Was it because he loved Elizabeth – or because her knew her less?’ ‘Jeremy Poldark’  Book 2 Chapter 6 )

What stands out for me from this discussion is

1. Ross saying in respect of what he did to her and to deny that he had said something to make George suspicious about Valentine "Love can't turn to that much hate." In my post ‘Ross Poldark's Fall From Grace (A Thin line between lust and hate for Elizabeth)’ , I document that 9th May was motivated largely by Ross’s momentary anger and hate for Elizabeth rather than his love. Therefore this comment from him seems to support this and that hate was definitely in the mix but to a certain extent.

2. Despite admitting what he did was wrong Ross does not actually apologise for what he did to Elizabeth! Instead he is more defensive at times taunting and not really apologetic in tone.  

3. Ross admits that until seeing Elizabeth and how angry she was, that he did not regret it 9th May. Given all his thoughts in Warleggan about how badly he had behaved this should be an eyebrow raising comment. In a way that is almost insulting for both Demelza and Elizabeth. However based on his discussion with Demelza at the end of Warleggan it seems that Ross saw his night with Elizabeth as the very thing that made him realise that what he had with Demelza was a different league (real love) and killed the feeling of missing out with Elizabeth having realised he did not truly love her. So in a sense he didn't regret it because he viewed the incident as one that helped him in coming to that discovery once and for all- that he did not have second best.

Not telling Demelza about the Meeting

I think Ross did this due to fear and a small dose of PTSD from his 7 month separation with Demelza as a result of what happened with Elizabeth and also Demelza nearly walking out on him when he did eventually try to be honest and confront the issue of his infidelity head on. It seems that nearly losing Demelza really did affect him and he mentioned this near loss a year later in the next book. Here after meeting Elizabeth he took the view that when it came to his infidelity with her ‘ ..this was the one subject on which Demelza’s wisdom could be drawn off course by the lode star of her emotions. You could expect no other. It was a dangerous and nasty situation that he saw ahead…’  He thought ‘ once bitten, twice shy’  and that there would be ‘ hell to pay…´if what happened before happened again where they got into an argument and said things they didn’t mean. This includes his comment to Demelza about gratifying Captain McNeil which made her run up the stairs and pack her bags only for Ross to reassure her in the rain that he had not really meant what he said. Ross was genuinely fearful and thought of this in quite strong terms that this last blow up had nearly led to the break up of his marriage. So whilst he did the wrong thing here in his secrecy, on a human level, based on his fear I think it can be understood why he decided it was not worth the strife.

Not telling Demelza Valentine could be his

I think that in many ways Ross compartmentalised this paternity issue almost to the back of his mind and it is not something he is shown as dwelling over much. If so his main concern was not the truth but that whatever the case George did not have the suspicion that he, Ross was the father. Secondly, just like Demelza did on some matters with Hugh, there was a withholding of the details by Ross so as not to create another point of conflict and one that would forever cause the other person pain or even embarrassment by speaking openly and in detail about such a matter. It seemed that both Ross and Demelza at times preferred to leave things unsaid or unconfirmed while knowing that the other had an idea of the truth. This was also in relation to Demelza actually physically cheating with Hugh. Ross kind of knew this might have happened but didn’t want details- or chose not to seek it out. That is self protection and a coping mechanism. Equally Demelza kind of knew Valentine could be Ross’s but never pushed for confirmation either or to discuss this in great depth. In the later books they talk about Valentine as if they both know he might be Ross’s but don’t really say it out in the open to each other until the last book. That approach is often done when a topic is too painful to address and confirm so very explicitly. Ross’s plan to keep this secret is an awareness of the pain and hurt it would cause to Demelza and it also explains why Ross was fuming when John Treneglos visited him in ‘Bella Poldark’ and spoke as if Valentine was his son despite the risk that Demelza could have been around. Ross stated that if Demelza had heard she would have been upset and affronted by John’s suggestions. Again, even though he knew Demelza kind of knew the truth these were delicate matters where pain could be saved if withheld or these 'mistakes' was easier to cope with when treated as mere possibilities.

Also to be fair to Ross Valentine's paternity was a matter that was never and could never be confirmed, so that was another reason not to burden Demelza a painful issue that was just a possibility at that stage after he met Elizabeth. As Valentine grew up and they both saw it was more likely they began to skirt more closer to this in conversation.  

[novemberrage]

stark family fancast / ned stark edition

1.) Charlie Vickers in his role as ‘Halbrand’ in the show, Rings of Power. Even though Sean Bean’s age wasn’t accurate to Ned, i can’t help but compare and i feel like Charlie IS his younger Ned

2.) Alexander Dreymon in his role of Uhtred in the Last Kingdom.

What i love about this fancast besides my usual spiel of matching the character description is that in the first season, Uhtred marries a beautiful redhead for duty’s sake and has a son with her, sound familiar?

3.) Orlando Bloom in his role as Balian in the film, Kingdom of Heaven. He has northern features and I think he really portrays the feeling of a 19 year old Ned fresh off having lost his father and brother and essentially his sister and now he’s going off to war . and Orlando and Kit look so similar especially when they’re brooding.

4.) Viggo Mortenson in his role as Aragon in LOTR would fit great for an older ned at the start of the book series or even during the greyjoy rebellion

5.) François Arnaud in his role of Cesare in the show, The Borgias. He has the stark look and hey, jon had to get his broodiness and great hair from somewhere

6.) Aiden Turner is his role as Ross Aiden in the show, Poldark is one of my favorites for Ned because his co star in the show, Eleanor Tomlinson playing Demelza is a great fancast for my fave, Catelyn

[mysticstarlightduck]

Nine People Tag

I was kindly tagged by @rickie-the-storyteller for this one!

Rules: Answer these questions and then tag 9 people to play too!

Three Ships -

Kili and Tauriel (The Hobbit)

Runaan and Ethari (The Dragon Prince)

Kaz Brekker and Inej Ghafa (Shadow and Bone)

+ BONUS ROUND lol

Ross Poldark and Demelza (Poldark)

Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala (Star Wars)

Hiccup and Astrid (How to Train Your Dragon)

Korra and Asami (The Legend of Korra)

Currently Listening -

All Is Not As It Seems - The Witcher

Last Movie - 

The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)

And the first half of John Wick 2 (2017)

Currently Reading -

Journey Across the Hidden Islands  - Sarah Beth Durst

(Rereading) A Song Of Ice and Fire - George R.R Martin

(And I’m beta reading a book for a tumblr friend too!)

Currently Watching -

Outlander

The Witcher

Castlevania

Shadow and Bone 

Star Wars - The Clone Wars

Currently Consuming -

Chocolate covered biscuit

Currently Craving -

A cup of either Capuccino or black tea

Tagging These People : @lassiesandiego @writernopal @repressed-and-depressed @lyutenw @elshells @conkers-theficwriter @clairelsonao3 @liv-is

[legopoldark]

Demelza, Book Four, Chapter 46

While he sat there talking in the parlor, talking softly to Demelza and telling her that Julia was a sturdy child and would come through quick enough, his mind was full of bitter thoughts. They flooded over him in waves, threatening to drown common sense and cool reason. He could have torn at himself in his distress. ... But he had not shown his anxiety or resentment three days before; he could not possibly show it then. Instead, he wiped her forehead and joked with her and watched over Julia, who slept after a bout of crying. ... While he was helping Demelza to bed, the whole house echoed and drummed, carpets flapped and pictures rattled. Then the front door was shut again and Dwight Enys was taking off his wet cloak in the hall. ... “Well?” said Ross. “They both have it.” “You mean the malignant sore throat?” “The symptoms are unmistakable. Your wife’s are further advanced than the baby’s. Even to the pink finger ends.” Dwight would have avoided his eyes and gone back into the room, but Ross stopped him. “How bad is this going to be?” “I don’t know, Ross."

[legolaslovely]

you know, I was just minding my own business, drinking my tea and watching my nature shows on PBS when 

BAM

this very soft, very loving face appears on my tv for a moment just long enough for me to spit out my tea and dive face first into the warm, cushiony goodess that is Poldark season 1 and 2 (and all the books).

Goodbye cold cruel world, hello Ross and Demelza. 

[kaciefaithkress]

Alright fellow bisexuals. Give me some of your “I would marry either of them” straight couples.

Idc if they’re celebrities or characters from movies, books, etc. Here are some of mine:

1. Ross & Demelza (“Poldark”)

Even better if they’re the book versions.

2. Alex & Elisa (“Quien Mato a Sara”)

3. Charles & Monique (“The Serpent”)

Monique and Villanelle are my style icons.

4. Sylar & Elle (“Heroes”)

Yes I know I very obviously have a very bad thing for serial killers. And yes I am concerned about it.

5. Nick & Adalind (“Grimm”)

I first watched this show when I was 10 and y’all...

6. Wolf & Virginia

I literally love these two.

7. Daenerys & Daario

Show-Daenerys is kind of lame but she’s hot.

8. These Two (“In the Dark”)

I’m sorry I forgot their names...

Okay I’ll stop now. Please reblog with your answers!

[exlibrisfangirl]

Tagged by @angel-in-a-big-blue-box 😘

I'm going to assume we're talking exclusively about romantic ships here, so...

1. First ship:

Han/Leia (Star Wars)... a looong time ago, in a galax- well, you get the idea. It was a long time ago, way before I knew what "shipping" was (and before the internet existed).

2. First OTP:

Sorry but all of my ships are OTPs. It’s OTP as in they are the ONE TRUE PAIRING FOR EACH OTHER….obviously. <- I am not even going to change a single word of this, because Anna is 100% CORRECT (but the answer is the same as above: Han/Leia).

3. Your ship since the first minute:

Fitzsimmons (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Henry Tilney/Catherine Morland (Northanger Abbey)

Ross/Demelza (Poldark)

Jamie/Claire (Outlander)

Anne/Gilbert (Anne of Green Gables)

Aramis/Anne (BBC The Musketeers)

Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

Rory/Jess (Gilmore Girls)

Olicity (Arrow)

Will/Djaq (BBC Robin Hood)

Captain Swan (Once Upon a Time)

Malec (Shadowhunters)

Danielle/Henry (Ever After)

there are probably more, I'm tired

4. Current favourite ship:

Derek/Chris (Teen Wolf)

Hardison/Parker/Eliot (Leverage)

Supercorp (Supergirl)

Lois/Clark (Superman & Lois)

Penelope/Colin (Bridgerton)

Nina/Matthias (Shadow and Bone/Six of Crows)

Wayhaught (Wynonna Earp)

Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)

5. Ship that most of the fandom hates but you love:

I honestly can't think of any.

Now if you were to ask me about ships fandom loves that I... well, lol. You know what? I'm going to add that question, because goshdangit... I want to answer it!

5b. Ship that most of the fandom loves but you... don't:

Sterek (Teen Wolf)

Darklina (Shadow and Bone)

Merthur (BBC Merlin)

Arthur/Gwen (BBC Merlin)

Guy/Marian (BBC Robin Hood)

Bagginshield (The Hobbit)

Reylo (Star Wars)

Wolfstar (Harry Potter)

Bellarke (The 100)

6. You don’t even watch the show, but you ship it:

Destiel (Supernatural)

Flint/Silver (Black Sails)

Uh... no idea.

7. Ship you wish had a different storyline:

Literally every single one where one half dies and the other is forced to keep going <- BRO, SAME. There are so many of them, too. 😩

Every, single ship I ship from Babylon 5: Delenn/Sheridan, Susan/Talia, Susan/Marcus

Wash/Zoe (Firefly)

Mary/Matthew (Downton Abbey) <- that messed me up so badly I stopped watching, lol

Queliot (The Magicians)

Hotspur/Kate (Henry IV Part I, The Hollow Crown)

Olicity (Arrow)

Jon/Ygritte (Game of Thrones)

I know there are more, but my brain is just laughing at me now...

Then there are the ships where BOTH DIE:

Remus/Tonks (Harry Potter)

[Redacted because I realized it would be a major spoiler for one of my mutuals who is currently watching this series for the first time. *waves* You're welcome!]

Aaand then there's the ship where one of them permanently turns into a TREE:

Eretria/Amberle (The Shannara Chronicles)

Oh, and the one where Half Number 1 spends the rest of her life living in an alternate dimension with a CLONE of Half Number Two:

Ten/Rose (Doctor Who)

8. Ship you wish was canon:

Eretria/Amberle (The Shannara Chronicles)

Kahlan/Cara (Legend of the Seeker)

Supercorp (Supergirl)

Morgan/Garcia (Criminal Minds)

Derek/Chris (Teen Wolf)

9. Ship you wish had become endgame:

Rory/Jess (Gilmore Girls)

Choni (Riverdale)

Ten/Rose (Doctor Who) <- nO, TenToo does not count

Han/Leia (Star Wars) <- I was so upset that the sequels broke them up, I refused to watch after TFA, lol

10. Favourite ship that is endgame:

John/Aeryn (Farscape)

Sheridan/Delenn (Babylon 5)

Stydia (Teen Wolf)

Olicity (Arrow)

Captain Swan (Once Upon a Time)

Will/Djaq (BBC Robin Hood)

Aramis/Anne (BBC The Musketeers)

Fitzsimmons (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)

Monrosalee (Grimm)

Malec (Shadowhunters)

Riker/Troi (Star Trek: TNG)

Jamie/Claire (Outlander)

Danielle/Henry (Ever After)

Faramir/Eowyn (LOTR) <- but honestly more the book version than the films

Xena/Gabrielle (Xena: Warrior Princess)

Anne/Gilbert (Anne of Green Gables)

John Thornton/Margaret Hale (North and South)

Elinor/Edward (Sense and Sensibility)

Fanny/Edmund (Mansfield Park)

Benedick/Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing)

and probably lots more I am forgetting!

Tagging: @seven-oomen @takadasaiko @dreamersscape @mostly-vo1d @voidstilesplease @oddwriter @magic-multicolored-miracle @rebakitt3n @jchthys @faithfire @woozapooza @ardricael @shieldmaidenofsherwood and/or anyone else who wants to do it!

[dearemma]

Poldark for the TV thing!

my favorite female character: demelza!

my favorite male character: dwight enys!

my favorite book/season/etc: season 1 was just perfection, i love it a lot!

my favorite episode (if its a tv show): hmm, i think the season 2 premiere!

my favorite cast member: gabriella wilde

my favorite ship: dwight/caroline

a character I’d die defending: demelza poldark

a character I just can’t sympathize with: george warleggan

a character I grew to love: idk why everyone hates Sam, but I loved him more with each passing episode!

my anti otp: none tbh

hiii, thank you <3 god i miss poldark now, thanks

[love-little-lotte]

The Characters From Poldark: An Overview

After making that last Poldark post a month ago, I started reading Winston Graham's books. Needless to say, I got obsessed. I've just finished The Angry Tide a few days ago and started reading The Stranger from the Sea immediately right after. I'm still in the middle, but I'm kind of missing the vibe of the first seven books. Maybe it's because I'm already familiar with the story, thanks to the TV show. But I'm loving Jeremy and Clowance so far!

The Poldark books are like a drug to me; even if I'm dead tired after work, I try to find the time to read even a chapter or two before going to sleep. It's that addicting! Graham's writing was too good. I love his prose and how he gets the time period and characters. In more ways than one, the characters are much more lovable in the novel than in the TV show (don't get me wrong, I still like the BBC show!) The Poldark books can be fairytale-like, but so much grittier and darker. As the books progress, the story gets more political, which can be confusing, especially if you're not familiar with the history. Sometimes, I have to research a little bit to understand the background (especially in The Stranger from the Sea where they talk a lot about King George's madness, as well as Napoleon).

In this post, I share some of my thoughts about some of the Poldark characters (both in the TV show and books). This is not exactly like a review or in-depth analysis, just some rambles that came to me while reading the books or watching the show. If you haven't finished the books or show, be aware that I'll be talking about spoilers!

Ross Poldark

The most problematic man ever. Okay, maybe not, but there are so many times I want to throw my Kindle out the window every time he says or does something stupid (almost always at the expense of Demelza). Ross is not as annoying in the books as he was in the TV show, thankfully. Imagine my surprise when I realized he didn't say that crappy line about "playing the scullery maid" to Elizabeth at that Christmas party in Season 2. His apology to Demelza after spending that night with Elizabeth in the books was also much more sincere. And I love that he actually said, "I'm sorry" because (remind me if I'm wrong) he never said so in the show. Yes, we know he regretted it but I never felt he was sorry because he never really expressed it.

Nevertheless, Ross is still a pretty good character, albeit flawed. I like the way he fights for what he believes in and goes above and beyond for those less fortunate. His passion for his people—not only restricted to his miners or employees—is something to be admired at. He's not a good husband, but he's a decent person. He tries to be the hero all the time, but alas, he can't have it all.

And yes, I admit that maybe I can't truly hate Ross because I love Aidan Turner and his portrayal of the character. After reading the books, I've really come to appreciate Turner's performance even more. He just gets the brooding, tortured side of Ross.

My Favorite Ross Moment: Is there? Just kidding; he did have some good moments. You might think my favorite moment is a Ross/Demelza scene (I still honestly think about the stocking scene at random times of the day), but it's actually his impassioned speech during his trial in Season 2. Turner was on fire in this episode and really brought out the best of Ross.

Demelza Poldark

A ray of sunshine. The heart and soul of Nampara (hell, the rest of Cornwall). My favorite character. Demelza gets a lot of bad luck in the course of the series, but she always perseveres. She never fails to look at the bright things in life, and I admire her so much for that. Demelza and Ross's marriage suffers a lot in the show and books, but I've never once doubted their relationship. They're the perfect match for each other. Beyond the romance, she's also an understanding friend, a kind sister, and a warm mother.

Her personality in the show didn't wasn't really that different in the books, in my opinion, so I love both interpretations. Maybe the only change that ticked me off was her affair with Hugh Armitage. The show implied that she only slept with Hugh because Prudie told her that she saw Ross kiss Elizabeth at the church, but in the books, I feel like she didn't mind the kiss that much. Instead, she has an affair with Hugh because she wants to and has true affection for Hugh. I hated the fact that the show had to resort to a petty love triangle or jealousy for that to happen. Maybe it draws in more viewers, but honestly, it's a little shallow.

Eleanor Tomlinson was wonderful as Demelza. I've said before that they mixed up the hair color of the women in Poldark (in the books, Demelza is dark-haired, Elizabeth is blonde, and Caroline is a redhead), and I tried to imagine Tomlinson playing Caroline, but I simply couldn't. She's ingrained in my brain as Demelza now.

My Favorite Demelza Moment: Where to begin?! When she helped Verity and Andrew find each other again? When she tried to help Pascoe's bank when they were having problems? Or perhaps when she punched Ross after spending the night with Elizabeth. All these are great, but my personal favorite Demelza moment is when she sang "I'd Pluck a Fair Rose" at the Christmas dinner in Season 1. I know, this seems a bit minor, but I thought this was the beginning of Demelza's transformation as the Mistress of Nampara, gaining her confidence, as well as Ross's love. (And yes, I have this song on repeat on Spotify.)

George Warleggan

Debbie Horsfield gets a lot of flack for this adaptation (or so I've read in comments, from Reddit to Tumblr), but one of the changes she made that I liked was George's character. In the books, he's a scheming villain who will stop at nothing to destroy Ross and everything he holds dear. You know, the average bad guy. But I loved him in the show, though. Maybe it's because of Horsfield's writing, which humanized George, or Jack Farthing's nuanced performance. Farthing is actually one of my favorite actors in the show, all because he gave George so much heart, despite him being ruthless.

Also, I never really thought he loved Elizabeth in the books; instead, he only sees her as a prized possession, another trophy he gets for his status. But in the show, I can actually see his love for her. This is more apparent in Season 5 (which is not adapted from the books), but we can actually see his real feelings for Elizabeth in the earlier seasons as well! I've read that Books 8-12 focus more on the kids, but I do hope I get to see more of George and Ross's rivalry. It's a bit rundown, but I really love it when they have a little showdown.

My Favorite George Moment: His beef with Aunt Agatha is one of my favorite things in the show and books. So yes, my fave George moment was when he told Aunt Agatha that she's not 99, but 97. It's so petty and cruel of him—and Agatha was so right at retaliating by implying Valentine's not his son.

Elizabeth Warleggan

I've come to realize that many fans don't like Elizabeth. Yes, she's a thorn in Ross and Demelza's relationship, marries the villain George, leads on Ross while still being married to Francis, forces her cousin Morwenna to marry someone she doesn't love, and so on and on. But in the end, I can never really hate Elizabeth. She doesn't have a lot of scenes in the books, but in the show, Heida Reed played her as sympathetic and kind albeit weak. I never really questioned Elizabeth's actions because I always remind myself that this is probably what women in her status would do in the past. If you were widowed and broke, wouldn't you marry the first rich guy who proposes to you for your family's own good? Even if it's the guy who your first love hates the most.

After marrying George, she resented Ross and Demelza a lot... but, in her perspective, she was jilted by Ross. After they slept together, she postponed the wedding, (stupidly) hoping for Ross to come after her, but of course, he didn't. I can't blame her for waiting for him, though; that was Ross's fault for ignoring her. I do admit it was wrong of her to tell Ross about her feelings while married to Francis, though. And for forcing Morwenna to marry someone she doesn't love.

My Favorite Elizabeth Moment: In Season 3, when she swore in the Bible that Valentine is George's son (and in turn, making him swear that he won't suspect her anymore). Reed (and Farthing!) were incredible in that scene, but I just like how Elizabeth controlled the narrative in that moment. She's passive on most occasions, but she is determined to make George believe that Valentine is his son).

Francis Poldark

I was debating whether I should include Francis in this or not... After all, he's been dead for a long time, and I don't remember much what happened to him. And frankly, I don't really care much about his character (although his death is an important event for the other characters). I didn't hate Francis; however, he was just meh for the most part. In the first season, he suffered much with the responsibilities he earned after the death of his father, as well as losing his sister to a man whom he thought was a menace. Thankfully, his character had a change of heart in the second season.

I've got to say, though, that Kyle Soller is a terrific actor, and I missed him a lot in the later seasons.

My Favorite Francis Moment: When he came clean to Demelza about revealing the shareholders to George in Season 2... right before he died. I'm glad that he was able to redeem himself in the end.

Dwight Enys

Another one of my favorite characters! Just like Ross, Dwight cares so much for people and treats everyone fairly, no matter their station in life. He even tried to stay behind a prison camp because he wanted to take care of the people. But unlike Ross, Dwight is much more level-headed, gentler, and doesn't act on impulse... which makes me like him a bit more.

Luke Norris is also a very strong actor. He gets to show off his acting chops when he gets back from Paris and when his daughter Sarah dies (which is one of the saddest things that ever happened in this show). He also shared wonderful chemistry with Gabriella Wilde, who played Caroline. I like that their relationship was explored a lot in the series; they weren't just side characters that the writers put in random moments of the show, they were truly part of the show.

My Favorite Dwight Moment: Definitely not when he slept with a married woman. But he still gets a lot of good moments in the show, from being the voice of reason when Ross (stupidly) duels Adderley to helping George when mourning for Elizabeth. But my favorite one was when he stayed behind to warn Ross about the ambush, jeopardizing his elopement with Caroline. It's just one of the moments when we get to see Dwight being selfless.

Caroline Enys

I get that some people do not like Caroline; she's very brash, sarcastic, and, at times, spoiled. But she's one of my favorite characters in the show. Perhaps because she's the most modern one and I relate to her very much (although I am not an heiress... unfortunately). She doesn't show it a lot, but she cares so much for her family and friends. That's what makes her the best match for Dwight. They're somewhat like a reverse Ross and Demelza. And speaking of Ross, the book surprised me with how flirty they got with each other! She kisses him twice—and although there was no romance meant in that (if I remember correctly, that was when he went to save Dwight in Paris and she kissed him for luck and gratitude), she did once suggest that they sleep together. I'm sure that was one of her normal tactless quips, but even so, I was taken aback!

Still, I like Caroline more in the show because Gabriella Wilde was incredible in the role. She played the spoiled heiress so well, yes, but she gave her so much empathy and compassion in the show. Her heartbreaking scene when Sarah died destroyed me to bits, as well as the events after that. I'm so happy when she and Dwight reconciled. Also, I love that she became one of Demelza's most treasured friends. Their friendship is one of my favorite things in the show because they seem to just get each other, despite being two different people.

My Favorite Caroline Moment: When she paid off Ross's debts in secret. That was such a boss move and made me love her even more. There was absolutely no reason for her to do that, but only because she cared for Dwight and, as a result, Ross as well.

Drake Carne

The best man in the show? Well, yes! He's not perfect (he did run out of his own wedding, leaving poor Rosina heartbroken... yet again). Despite that, I like Drake, especially in the show. He's a bit annoying and more forward in the books, but in the show, he is gentler and kinder. And his hopeless devotion and unconditional love for Morwenna is so sweet. Their relationship is the only thing that makes Season 5 salvageable. Morwenna was damaged after her horrifying marriage to Osborne, and I liked that Drake didn't rush her into consummating their marriage. So far, they're still not in The Stranger from the Sea (will they make an appearance?! No, don't answer that; I hate spoilers), only that it was mentioned that they have a daughter. Beyond his romance with Morwenna, I love his brotherly relationship with Geoffrey Charles. He badly needed a good man in his life, and while his uncle is there (though I wouldn't say Ross is a good role model), I think Drake is the best guy for Geoffrey Charles.

Harry Richardson was also good as Drake; he's so charming in the role and easy to love. There are so many cases when I don't like new characters and actors that appear in the middle of the show, but he (and the rest of the new cast) effortlessly fit in with the rest.

My Favorite Drake Moment: Most of Season 5 Drake. Yes, that's not in the books, but I liked that the show explored the early days of their marriage. He was so gentle with Morwenna, it made my heart ache. The toad bit was stupid, to be honest, but it made me laugh with how it left George in a huff, so points to Drake for that anyway.

Sam Carne

Ah, Sam. He can be annoying at times, especially when he starts including his religious beliefs in literally every conversation, but... he grows on you. He's not one of my favorite characters, but I like his sibling relationship with Demelza and Drake. And his short-lived romance with Emma was pretty sad. It humanizes him in a way, making him see that he can't save everyone. Sam eventually marries Rosina. Which, to me, feels a bit weird. Sure, they do get along, but it just feels like they settled for each other because they were left by their respective partners.

Along with Harry Richardson, Tom York is also a fantastic addition to the cast. He doesn't get a lot of strong acting moments, but he's still a good actor and I enjoyed watching him.

My Favorite Sam Moment: Like I said, he doesn't get a lot of scenes, but I like Sam the best when he's being a Good Brother™ to Drake, especially in Seasons 3 and 4 when Morwenna is married to Osborne.

Morwenna Carne

I love Morwenna so much that it reminds me of that Stephanie Beatriz meme from Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Morwenna's been through a lot—more than maybe most of the characters in the show. She married one of the sickest, horrifying characters I've ever come across (against her will, might I add), but nevertheless, she endured. She's a strong character, despite her demure tendencies. As I mentioned before, Season 5 is still worth watching for Morwenna and Drake. How she overcame her trauma from Osborne's abuse was very compelling to watch; it's realistic and makes me like her more. I also liked how she got to have a closure with John Conan, her first son. I'm sure she doesn't want anything from her Osborne's family, but you can't convince me that she doesn't care for John Conan.

In the books, Morwenna's always described in the book as "plain-looking," which irks me to no end because Ellise Chappell is literally one of the prettiest actresses I've ever seen. She's also a pretty good actress, and she was able to show off her range in Seasons 4 and 5.

My Favorite Morwenna Moment: When she stood up for herself against Osborne, even threatening to hurt John Conan if he tried to touch her again. I remember watching that scene for the first time and just howling and clapping for Morwenna.

*****

I would've loved to write more about the other characters like Verity and Prudie (especially Prudie in the show), but... I don't have a lot of feelings about them. Plus, they don't really move the story along, unlike the characters mentioned.

So, there you have it! Excuse me while I start watching the show again. Bye!

[mermaidsirennikita]

Bridgerton had problems but I loved it so much because it felt like watching a romance book. Yes I've read like 10 different books that basically had the same relationship arc as Simon and Daphne's with a slightly different conflict but you just don't see stuff like this on tv enough. Even in stuff that felt like it was made for us like Poldark and Downton Abbey there's romance but it's not the main plot, there's boring manly drama and it's all pg-13 and fade to black. Just let us see them fuck!

I totally agree.  That really exemplifies what the issue so often is, right?  I was into Poldark for season 1 and part of season 2 and like... same w Downton, lol.  And I shipped Demelza/Ross and Mary/Matthew very hard.  They felt, in certain moments, like classic romance ships.  But their actual love stories were never the A-plots.  Ross was always on some bullshit and Matthew and Mary... we know how that ended.

And the lack of sex was always a huge problem in so many period dramas.  Like damn.  North and South really had a VIBE with John Thornton.  In Sanditon, there was always sexual tension crackling between Sidney and Charlotte.  But nothing happened, and I never felt like the moral authorities and the Bonnet Brigade would LET it happen.  Even though sex is such a natural culmination for the majority of romantic relationships, and a way that we build emotional intimacy with our partners.  This isn’t to say that romances specifically written to focus on asexual couples shouldn’t exist; but we were watching romances in which sexual things surely did happen or were going to happen, but we’d never see them.  You’d only read about that culmination in romance novels.

Like, it’s more fun to have scandal HAPPEN versus being hinted at, and it’s just kind of a fucking relief to watch something where the heroine GETS FUCKING RELIEF LOL.  Daphne learning about sex and enjoying sex was really excellent.  I loved it.  And all of this happened without all of the intense trauma that you suffer through on a show like Outlander.

Additionally, I hope that this show will take kind of a “one main couple per season” approach while also tending to the other characters.  That way, we won’t always see the saaaaame couple and hopefully more compelling romances will spring up.  This was another issue Outlander started to suffer from--there was only so much shit I wanted to see one couple get put through, and frankly after a while their romance had gone as far as it could go and I was just watching a stable older couple bone occasionally until SOME TERRIBLE EXTERNAL THING happened to them.  Switching it up a bit allows us to see some new drama among new couples, and like also.... new sex things lol.  Maybe Anthony and Kate will experiment with the apparently elusive doggy style next season ;).

[thoughtsonpoldark]

Even in the last 5 Poldark books with the Poldark teens sharing the story, Christmas was always centred around Ross and Demelza. #LoveAlwaysWins

Whistlestop through the significant Christmases in the Poldark story. 🎄🥳🎄

[loyalhorror]

TAG GAME

Rules: answer the questions and tag nine some people you want to get to know better/catch up with!

I was tagged by @didyoujustcallmedetective, whom I love and treasure.

Three ships:

Jonathan Sims x literally everyone (TMA) Kaz x Inej (SoC/SaB) Ross x Demelza x Enys (Poldark), though tbh I fuckin can’t stand Ross right now (I’m on season 2)

Last movie: I think it was Stardust?? I watched it with Oliver sdfkjnsdf

Last song: Apparently it was That’s The Way - Led Zeppelin but I have no memory of actually listening to that.

Currently watching: I’m veeeery slowly making my way through the Poldark series whenever I’m with Oliver! And also re-listening to TMA, which doesn’t count as watching.... unless....?

Currently reading: I still need to finish A Broken Darkness by Premee Mohammed, and I started Six of Crows the other day but didn’t take the book back home with me sO.

Currently craving: Sunlight. Please. I want the good good vitamin D.

Tagging: @phoenixgryphon @cityelf and whoever else wants to do it

[rainpuddle13]

Ross and Demelza, flower shop AU? 💕

Demelza:

1. Demelza put everything she had into a little flower and garden shop in Sawle. It’s been touch and go for a while, but she’s started to collect  a following amongst the gardening enthusiasts for her extensive knowledge on all things vegetable. She also did a fair trade in fresh and dried herbs, but her true passion was flowers and was very excited when she got to show off her skills at arrangement.  She did have one standing floral order - every week a bouquet of lilies were to be delivered to Sawle Church and placed on the grave of Grace Vennor Poldark. Without fail, every Friday she delivered the flowers, removing the old ones and placing new ones in the vase on the headstone. She chose the color of the flowers and ribbons based on the season and holiday. 

2. She got her big break after nearly two years in business - a contract to do all of the floral arrangements for the society wedding of the year. It came as a major shock to her. Elizabeth Chynoweth was well known for her finer taste in all things. Demelza had learned that her fiance, one Ross Poldark, had insisted they employ local merchants for catering and flowers. There had been talk of an almighty row over it, but Poldark had stood firm and eventually got his way. Demelza could clear more for the wedding than she normally did in six months.

3. After months of preparations and planning, and staying up nearly 48 hours to make sure everything was perfect inside and out of Truro Cathedral. Demelza was pleased with her work. She took loads of pictures for her book to show future clients. Only, an hour before the wedding was supposed to take place that warm October Saturday afternoon, she was told to take it all down. There would be no wedding. Apparently the bride decided she was in love with someone else, her fiance’s cousin no less.

4. The first time Demelza Carne met Ross Poldark was when he turned up two weeks after that fateful Saturday to settle the bill for the flowers. He looked tired, grim even. She couldn’t even  imagine what he’d been through.  She gave him a small jade plant along with the receipt. She’d told him it was for luck. He thanked her with a nod and left. She thought Elizabeth Chynoweth was an idiot. 

5. The next time she saw Ross Poldark it was very early morning on a cold Christmas Eve at Sawle Church. He was standing in the graveyard. She politely waited until he was obviously making a move to leave to make her presence known. They chatted for a few minutes while she changed the flowers out on his mother’s grave. Then Demelza threw caution to the wind and asked him to Christmas dinner.

[imprettysirius]

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